Civilization Beyond Earth
Civilization Beyond Earth is a latest iteration in the classic Civilization series but instead of choosing a nation and leading them through history it’s set in the future on another planet, and no it’s not Alpha Centauri. The premise is the Earth has become too downtrodden and unstable due to a global events and the nations strong enough to re-emerge from this catastrophic turn of events set their sights on establishing a new beginning for humankind on another planet. So you’ll not only have to build an empire on this new planet by researching technologies and amassing resources but you’ll have to contend with hostile alien lifeforms seeking to undermine your advances. Many of the basic gameplay mechanics are the same as Civilization V but there are some significant changes that should make this feel brand new. There is a huge change to the way you select your civilization, and to me it seems to be an improvement that’s just perfect for this new setting. Instead of choosing one with already established bonuses, you’ll have to make various choices such as choosing one of eight different expedition sponsors, the spacecraft and cargo you traveled on, and even the colonists who traveled with you. This gives more customization for your civilization unlike previous entries and you can truly have so many unique experiences every time you start a new game.
Technology research will also be different this time around as there will now be a research tree where your choices will play a deciding role in what future research topics will be available to you. So you won’t be able to research all the topics in one play through, and presumably different units as well. This will be decided based on your philosophical choices of how you want your civilization to be governed, its culture, etc. And there will be a quest system that will serve as additional side missions to your regular civilization management and expansion, and this will also serve as a means to make the experience on the planet more engrossing and familiar as the history of the planet and other characteristics will be explored in these side missions. Below are other features, some new, from the official site:
- Unit Customization: Unlock different upgrades through the tech web and customize your units to reflect your play style.
- Multiplayer: Up to 8 players can compete for dominance of a new alien world.
- Mod support: Robust mod support allows you to customize and extend your game experience.
As one of my all-time favorite series, as well as my original and timely addiction in terms of video games, I’m really looking forward to this entry. I loved Civilization V so I’m glad enough features have been retained but I love what these new gameplay features can provide in terms of customization and moving the series forward. And the addition of quests, if implemented properly, can give some attachments to the new planet and a story as opposed to just having the feeling of random terrain to mine for resources. Civilization Beyond Earth is set to be released later this year but check out the trailer released by Firaxis Games.
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